The best guest writers in the universe...

... work right here. (Yes, I'm biased.) I certainly can't pay them -- not yet, anyway -- but I can thank them. And I thought right now would be a good time, since we hit a record number of posts this month. One hundred posts in June. !!! That's a whole lot of good writing. It's not easy to just keep posting reviews week after week, let me tell ya.

Doux News: July 1, 2012

This week: Walking and Talking--They Were Serious About That?--First-World Problems--Coming Soon to a TV Screen Near You--This Week In Casts--Better Than Cats

The Prisoner: The Girl Who Was Death

"And that is how I saved London from the mad scientist."

This was the third completely atypical episode in a row. It's been a long time since I first saw the series, and I honestly didn't remember it. I should have, though. It was just delightful.

Threshold: Shock

“No good can come from a bomb expert with a van.”

Molly claims that “historically, the public can’t help but panic in a crisis.” And what with panic being contagious, the public shouldn’t know about the missing crewmen who have been infected with alien mojo. Plus, that would ruin the show: most episodes so far have been structured around looking for one more missing crew member. “The Burning” is no different, and it balances to crewman-of-the-week plot nicely with some more fascinating mythological developments in the lab.

Merlin: Le Morte d'Arthur

"Please, Merlin, you must beware. This is only the beginning."

This was actually the first episode of Merlin I watched all the way through. I'd seen bits and pieces of other episodes, but never bothered to sit through an entire episode before. And then, one quiet Saturday afternoon, when there was nothing else on to watch, I decided 'what the hell' and gave Merlin a go while I waited to find out what the lottery numbers were that week. Sure, I'd missed the previous 12 episodes, but I guessed (correctly) that this would be a episodic show and that it wouldn't take me long to get the gist of things. So I settled down to watch my first episode of Merlin. And afterwards I decided that it would be my last episode of Merlin.

Being Human: In the Morning

Mitchell: “This is the problem with vampires. Too much fucking introspection.”

An excellent episode all round. Good character development, some nice main arc advancement, and a decent stand alone story for Annie. (Not before time, too.) This was an episode which seemed to split the fan community. People seemed to either love it or hate it. I thought it gave an effective insight into the crumbling lives of our three main protagonists. It even made me feel for the bad guys.

Breaking Bad: Thirty-Eight Snub

Skyler: "If you're not willing to pull the trigger on this, I am more than happy to call Saul Goodman myself."

Interesting fall-out episode. As Walt made several friendly attempts to bump Gus off, Jesse was finding it difficult to live with himself.

Threshold: The Burning

“Enjoy the Buckeye State.”

Local legend Richard Tate burned his family alive and lived a quiet life in a mental institution—until now! Is he a crazy escapee, a psychic superhero, a haunted man plagued by his “darkest self,” or something else entirely? If Threshold had continued into a second season, Richard’s tragic story likely would have been key to understanding the aliens’ larger plans. Even without that pay-off, though, this episode still hits all the right notes and sets up promising challenges for our team.

Community: Introduction to Film

“You have no intention of seizing the day.”

Community starts to find its footing with this third episode, and a lot of that success comes from an increased willingness to trust Abed, Annie, Shirley, Troy, and even Pierce to have the skill and character to make us laugh at them (and with them) and root for their successes despite their flaws.

The Prisoner: Living in Harmony

"Interesting that he can separate fact from fantasy so quickly."

This was the second completely atypical Prisoner episode in a row, and although I give them points for creativity, I must admit I wasn't on board at all. At least until the end.

Breaking Bad: Box Cutter

Walt: "You kill me, you have nothing. You kill Jesse, you don't have me."

The first time I saw this episode (back when I wasn't reviewing it), I had to cover my eyes; I just couldn't bear to watch Gus with that box cutter killing the only person in the room completely and unquestioningly loyal to him.

Community: Spanish 101

“You understand that TV and life are different, right?”

Britta’s “douche-ray vision” can tell that Jeff is “cute, but selfish, and narcissistic to the point of near delusion.” Jeff’s happy he’s cute. And that’s the predominant tension thus far: will Jeff redeem himself enough to win the approval of a woman who knows stuff about, like, journalists in Guatemala? Will they? Won’t they? Community defuses that tension by drawing attention to it, making it one big 'shipper joke.

Discussion: Sexiest Couples

We’ve tabulated the sexiest characters, both male and female. We’ve brainstormed impossible cross-show couplings. And we spend way, way too much time on this site mooning over vampires. But we’ve neglected the results of all of that on-screen sexiness: the eventual pairing off of characters into the most prized of relationships—the couple.

Castle: Home Is Where the Heart Stops

“So many layers to the Beckett onion. However will you peel them all?”

In any new show where there is a male and female lead, the first thing most people begin to speculate on and to talk about is not if they will get together, but when. When this show began, the differences between the two characters were so great that I thought the producers and writers may do a Mulder/Scully thing -- make them best friends, but keep them apart romantically. This episode proved me wrong. By the end, it is clear that these two will eventually end up together. The case itself is another standard procedural that has been done, but this one proved to be the backdrop for more information about Beckett and Castle and allowed us to watch their growing relationship.

Threshold: Blood of the Children

“They’re just kids.”

If nothing else, Threshold does good horror. Molly’s dream sequences make the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and the scenes certainly amp up the tension. Team Threshold isn’t just looking for one crewman after another. They’re fighting something within themselves, something that affects their brains and might affect even more.

Once Upon a Time: The Price of Gold

“All magic comes at a price; looks like someone has just paid.”

Some part of me feels a little cheated. Don’t get me wrong, this was still all kinds of great, but I’m not sure how I feel about the blatant manipulation of one of my favourite stories, Cinderella. There was still a lot to love about this episode, and I’m not worried about the show’s quality just yet, but I feel like there’s a thin line between clever interpretation, and blatant destruction.

The Prisoner: Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling

"Tomorrow, you will wake up a new man."

This is very much an atypical Prisoner episode. It had an unusual beginning, very little taking place in the Village, and a serious absence of Patrick McGoohan, which I most certainly did not like. Basically, the hero of the piece was Professor Seltzman, who saved Six from eternal imprisonment in someone else's body while stealing another man's. I sort of felt a bit sorry for the Colonel, who came out of it with a raw deal. Okay, dead.

Breaking Bad: Full Measure

Walt: "I've got my old job back. At least until they kill me and Gale takes over."

That was amazing.

Community: Pilot

“If I wanted to learn something, I wouldn’t have come to community college.”

Let’s start off with a bang: this is the worst episode of Community. The pilot is still better that 99% of all sitcoms, and its potential is obvious. But I suspect, especially in light of the shake-up at the end of Season Three, that Community and showrunner Dan Harmon snuck their little bunch of awesome in under the radar.

About Us: Paul Kelly

I’m honored to announce the fourth installment of our About Us Interview series. This week, we’ll learn all about Paul Kelly, the man who brought us the video of Henri the Cat.

Paul reviews Being Human, Doctor Who, Misfits, and Sherlock. And if this isn’t enough for you, more about Paul can be found here.

Falling Skies: Compass

Tom: "I'm just a history professor."
Avery: "And I was a manager at the Carpet Corral. But look at me now. I'm Paul Revere in a prop plane."

I was seriously conflicted about this episode after I watched it. It pulled me in two different directions. I couldn't quite figure out why I felt that way, until I saw it again.

Roswell: Blood Brother

“How long do you think you can keep something like this a secret before it all blows up in your face?”

'Blood Brother' appropriately ties all of the various plots that were introduced during the past few episodes around this one personal catastrophe. Max’s accident spurs a series of events that forces Liz to confront yet another consequence of her involvement with him, causes Topolsky to get closer than ever to the aliens’ secret; and for everyone to realise the gravity of the situation they’re in.

True Blood: Whatever I Am, You Made Me

"Just imagine it's a training bra."

Yummy. More flashbacks.

Threshold: Trees Made of Glass, Part II

“Focus on the task, not the fear of the task.”

If you weren’t impressed with Molly Caffrey in the first part of this pilot two-parter, I hope you are now. I can’t help but think that the writers had the Buffy pilot in mind as they wrote the opening scene: take a pretty girl in a flimsy dress, present her as a victim, and then turn the tables.

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter

Henry: "If vengeance is all you seek, you will never be able to save mankind."

I had absolutely no expectations going into this film. It could've been horrifically bad, especially when you consider how silly the basic premise is. Yet in that premise, there was some potential to pull off something moderately brilliant. Was it going to be satire? Was it going to be just a shallow gore fest? I was genuinely surprised that it was neither. Instead, it was a somewhat successful attempt to realistically tell the story of Abraham Lincoln as if he were a vampire hunter... go figure.

Doux News: June 24, 2012

This week: The Critic's Choice Awards--This Is How The Killing Ended--This Week In Casts--Hunger is Coming--Fringe Spoilers?--Bravery vs. Slavery

Breaking Bad: Half Measures

Walt: "Murder is not part of your twelve-step program."

Heisenberg. He's baaaaacccck.

The Prisoner: Hammer Into Anvil

"Each man has his breaking point, you know. And you are no exception."

This one made me laugh out loud.

Merlin: To Kill The King

“What would that solve? That would make me a murderer. That would make me as bad as him.”

To kill Uther, or not to kill Uther, that is the question. One that plagues both Merlin and Morgana throughout this episode. Both would have reasons to celebrate Uther's demise, Merlin especially as he would no longer have to live in fear of being unmasked as a warlock. But if you murder a tyrant, or by omission of action, allow a tyrant to be murdered, does that make you any better than they are?

Being Human: The Looking Glass

Mitchell: "Please! I'm begging you. Save me!”

Mitchell's been a ticking time bomb all season and tonight he finally exploded. Despite preaching a message of peace and abstinence, he still ended up killing Chief Constable Wilson. Not that Wilson didn't have it coming, but there'll be a price to pay. In the emotional aftermath which followed, Mitchell even confessed to being a vampire. I wonder how this full disclosure will affect his relationship with Lucy. Will she be able to kill him now? Does she even want to?

Roswell: River Dog (2)

“All logic is gone.”

We’re at the point in Roswell where the big reveals are a little too enmeshed between weird mumbo jumbo. Despite the strangeness of the execution, it’s satisfying to be actually getting some answers this early on. It’s fine to piece together puzzles like this gradually, but they always work best when the answers that we get aren’t a big question themselves.

The Prisoner: A Change of Mind

"Number Six has been declared unmutual until further notice."

A lot of The Prisoner is about the individual versus the collective. This episode was probably the most Orwellian. Prisoners can't just suffer their imprisonment. They cannot be depressed or in any other way unhappy. They must participate with the activities of the collective, smile and be content, socialize with others, and exercise in the Village gymnasium instead of alone in the woods. (This is starting to sound like high school.)

Breaking Bad: Abiquiu

Skyler: "If you're going to launder money, Walt, at least do it right."

After wearing green shirts for a number of episodes now, signaling that the money was very much on her mind, Skyler has finally stepped up and taken over. If Walt is going to launder money, she's going to make sure that it's done right.

Eureka: Smarter Carter

… in which Carter gets a brain boost just as Allison’s brother visits to check out her new husband.

Discussion: Sexiest TV Actor

Last week, Dear Readers, you astonished, amazed, and astounded us with the nuanced way you responded to our very low-brow question of which TV actress is the sexiest of them all. While no clear winner emerged (did we expect one to?), it was a great discussion that once again proved you are the best readers on the internet.

Superman: The Movie

"They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son."

This is going to be a big year for superhero movies. Joss Whedon has already assembled The Avengers (and smashed every box office record known to man). Spider-Man will try to be amazing and make us all forget the foul stench of Spider-Man 3. And the Dark Knight will rise to battle his most terrible foe yet; the curse of the disappointing threequel. So I figure now is as good a time as any to review some of my favourite superhero movies, starting with the granddaddy of them all - Superman: The Movie.

Roswell: 285 South (1)

“Why is it so important to you to find out where you come from?”

Probably to offset the lovey-dovey, written in the stars pairing that is Liz and Max, Maria and Michael were created. "285 South" introduces them as a completely different couple to the show’s titular one. But even though they have a completely opposing dynamic to Liz and Max, there’s an equal amount of chemistry and passion between them from the second they share their screen-time here as they’re shown off in all their dysfunctional glory.

The Prisoner: It's Your Funeral

"I won't go for it. Whatever it is."

This one wasn't quite a successful as it could have been. I was left wondering what the point was.

Falling Skies: Shall We Gather at the River

Pope: "Hey, Cap. I heard they pulled a circuit board out of Tom's head."

The theme of this episode was trust. Can we trust our friends, family, allies and most importantly, ourselves? Tom's struggle with his own mind and his doubts about his sanity and trustworthiness were the stand out sections of the episode. At the same time the B-story about the bridge was fully paid off with that awesome chase at the end. Much like the first episode this season, it had a different pace and tone. Each character had a chance to have a moment to shine or work through some issues, or reveal something new about themselves.

About Us: Nadim

Here’s the third installment in our very serious, very in-depth 2012 About Us Interview Series. Ladies and gentlemen, the man so famous he needs just one name: Nadim!

True Blood: Authority Always Wins

"Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Sanguinista movement?"

Puppy werewolf in jammies! Sooo cute!

Breaking Bad: Fly

"We kill the fly, or we're dead."

This episode is brilliant. I was sort of dreading it, but it was even better than I remembered.

Falling Skies: Worlds Apart

Margaret: "Looks like the bad guys are growing a brain."

This almost seemed like a different show. The tone felt like they turned it down a few shades darker, plus new sets, new make-up, and better monster effects. They even reduced the annoyance of the score, a little. The theme this week was about how things continue even if they are torn apart or changed. We had two stories, Tom's journey and the 2nd Mass. trying to survive without him.

Being Human: Educating Creature

Ivan: “You know, Mitchell, eventually it just makes children of us all.”

This was a stronger outing for Annie. I keep waiting for them to do something interesting with her character. (Instead of her current role as Barry Chuckle's marginally smarter sister.) We're not quite there yet, but I did detect a subtle shift in the force tonight. Sykes was the perfect foil for Annie to riff off. When the dialogue's this good her character shines. It's just a pity it's not like this every week.

The Prisoner: Many Happy Returns

"Don't forget to come back."

This was essentially "The Chimes of Big Ben" but with a lot more sweat and frustration.

Castle: Always Buy Retail

“I really am ruggedly handsome, aren’t I?”

During the first three minutes of this episode, we get a strange, ritualistic murder followed by a hot sex scene during which we are introduced to Meredith after seeing images of tunnels and tall, pointy buildings (yes, I’ve read my Freud). She is Castle’s first ex-wife and Alexis‘ mother, threatening to move back to New York to disrupt everyone’s lives.

Falling Skies: Eight Hours

Weaver: "Good shot."

Well, this was an improvement. There wasn't really a sense of urgency, but there was tension. This felt like combat, where you wait endlessly to engage the enemy, only to be thrust into chaos when you least expect it, until there is a reprieve or you're dead. This entire episode was essentially one long evacuation/military action. So I'll split up my thoughts along the same lines.

Falling Skies: Mutiny

Tom: "We don't have enough people left for a suicide mission."

Why do I feel like they took three steps forward with the 2-parter and "What Hides Beneath", only to take two steps back here? Not that there wasn't some good stuff in this episode. But why did they have to revert Weaver into the super bastard again?

Doux News: June 17, 2012

This week: Casting news -- Weeds -- Birth announcement -- Political weirdness on Game of Thrones -- Comment(s) of the week

Breaking Bad: Kafkaesque

"Jesse, you are now a millionaire. And you're complaining? What world do you live in?"

The theme of this episode was adulthood and responsibility, even for drug dealers. Or especially for drug dealers. Plus putting your cards on the table, in more ways than one.